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Friday, August 13, 2010

Jeffrey Bailey and Givenchy

Today's PB post I lay the blame completely at the feet of Hubert de Givenchy (pronounced gee-von-CHEE).

It's a bit of a shaggy dog story that requires a bit of your patience.

I left a comment on the Style Saloniste that I owned a watercolor sketch of Givenchy'ssalon. Terry of Square with Flare, big fan of Givenchy contacted me. "Is this image posted on your blog? I would love to see it". "Not yet Terry...I never thought of doing so..I'd have to think up a story to go with it.."

Et voila!The story goes a back to the '90s, when I spotted a gorgeous watercolor... In a French magazine article, Atmosphere, on Parisien watercolor artists. I had to track down artist Jeffrey Bailey who is in fact American. Turns out Jeffrey painted this preparatory 'sketch' whilst sitting right in Givenchy's salon. The final artwork, one of a series, made specialment for M. Givenchy, was a much tighter version, but I fell in love with the sketch. Somehow I twisted Jeffrey's arm to sell it to me. cont. on next page...

Jeffrey's loose yet precise washes are incredible to me still... I'm in awe... So much detail described with such ease and economy...

And dash! It's a delight to share Jeffrey's work with you.

I can't imagine living in this grand style, much less sitting amidst all this splendor and then painting it...

21 comments:

Merci beaucoups for pulling out your screwdriver to post that fantastic "study" of Jeffrey's! Trust your eye to spot a wonderful work! How do you manage to cover so much territory? You can't spend your entire day reading blogs and magazines - I know you spend some of it painting. And of course there is the stalking and searching for les macs. And that swimming pool. Are you really a group of 3 people, one for the blogs and magazines, one for the painting and one for the macs??? If so, then who does the swimming?Inquiring minds want to know.

Carol, you really have made fall in love with watercolor since I started reading your blog. This just seals the deal! It is so interesting that one persons 'sketch' is another's 'work of art'. As always you are an inspiration.Liz (Libby) Bessel

What a wonderful painting of Givenchy's room. As ephemeral as fashion is, Hubert de Givenchy has fallen off the radar, but people forget how important he is and that the indelible images we have of women wearing his dresses are because of him.

This is wonderful material for a post and I am so happy to read the story. That image should definitely be in any future book on Givenchy. What a treasure. You are very lucky to have it, and I'm sure it is all the more precious since it took some persuasion to get it...not everything is for sale in life!

I was wondering if you would share what issue of Atmosphere it was that you found these artists with their wonderful interior watercolors in. I wanted to contact their US contact for the magazine to see if I might be able to secure a back issue and I thought it would help to know what issue you referred to in your blog. I enjoy your blog and although I don't get on the computer daily, I do feel that it is a treat to read and view your blog. Some day I will go to Paris-----------------

WOW ... Carol, this was a great post ... I am so jealous that you own the sketch, how FAB!!! ... I loved every bit and wish I could find a book that had these watercolor picture inside. I do LOVE LOVE LOVE Mark Hampton's books of his watercolor interiors.

I've seen both of those artists before, and I'm green with envy that you own one of those wonderful watercolors. One of my favorite subjects for artists to paint is interiors--these are all exquisite. Really fabulous, Carol!

Thank you for this post. I stumbled on Jeffrey Bailey's work last year when I was ripping up some back issues of Veranda magazine for a collage....I was enthralled...I am in love with paintings of interiors.

Oui, and just imagine all the people who stumble upon your work and are charmed and floored and need to look you up and make a purchase! It's cyclical! You are a star, too - just ask those fancy folks at you-know-where!!

I look forward to seeing you in October ! All forms of exposure are positive! My “fanclub” is pretty much limited to close family and friends- yet on the professional side, in professional circles, I do have somewhat of a reputation as a painter of trompe-l’oeil and other forms of mural decorative painting, as well as an ‘illustrator’ of room renderings, which I still do in watercolors for int. decorators, designers, and architects.Amitiés,Jeff

Paris Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it, now tripping over cobblestones, living in a 6th-floor garret on l'Ile Saint-Louis, Paris. Read Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris breakfasts.